Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced readers copy. All opinions are honest and my own.

I have enjoyed everything this author has brought out. Super talented and this story was another edge of your seat tale that I greatly enjoyed.

I haven't read many graphic novels for a while now but when I saw this one, with an obvious theatre connection, and set in the Roaring 1920's (an era I enjoy reading about) I thought that this just might be the right book for me.

Rudy Burns is living the high life. He's a sought-after Broadway actor. He has women adoring him, but he's happy with his wealthy, socialite girlfriend. And when he decides to stay out all night and party, no one is going to stop him as long as he keeps spreading the cash around.

When he leaves a club well after closing hours one night, after having too many drinks, he is jumped by a group of thugs. Not in his right mind, thanks to the drinks, he thinks he can fight back and take them all one, which only brings more anger from the thugs, who take Rudy out with pipes and a crowbar, and they work him over.

Even with a long rest period and as much cosmetic surgery as could be done in the 1920's, Rudy's good looks are now gone. In fact he now looks more like Frankenstein's monster - a patchwork of skin and bones - than the red-hot golden boy. He's always been the leading man, but no Broadway play will have him now. He can't even get parts as the villain in smaller theatres - his looks frighten people.

To add insult to his injuries, his girlfriend, returning from France, tells him that she 's going back to France where she's met someone she wants to be with.

He is about to give up and take his own life, when his best friend, Sam, has an idea that will still involve acting. Sam wants to make Rudy into a mysterious figure ... a Count who is seeking vengeance for his family ... and get him into some boxing matches.

What I liked about this was the over-all concept, the fact that Rudy becomes a rather true character that we can actually get behind and root for, and the general art layouts and angles.

What I didn't like, though, stood out a little more.

The story is just a little bit lopsided and rushed. We don't really get to know Rudy except for superficially.

There is a HUGE change in Rudy after he gets beaten up. Yes, we should expect some emotional change, and author Neil Gibson does a nice job of helping us understand the pain Rudy is going through. But there is a physical change beyond the startling, facial appearance. He appears to have grown about six inches and put on 100 pounds of muscle since getting the crap beaten out of him. And his now changeable demeanor - violent and brutish when acting the part of The Count, and brooding and kind when alone - is not at all what we first saw in the happy, carefree man.

Also, 1920's New York had its own style and feel and verve and Gibson never writes to this, except to toss in a few choice words (such as "clams" for money), and certainly artist Leonardo Gonzalez does not capture this period at all. If you had told me this was the 1950's I could easily have believed it.

The fact that we haven't captured the period doesn't change the story much, so why was it set in this period?

I wanted to like this book, but it just unraveled on too many factors to be worth recommending.

Looking for a good book? <em>Theatrics</em> is a graphic novel that doesn't take advantage of the period in which it is set and rushes through the story and the art.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I liked reading this graphic historical novel. Rudy is an handsome Broadway Actor who loses his looks after being beaten up and left for dead. The story follows Rudy as he struggles to find his away again. The story was engaging and the artwork really suited the story. Enjoy

Exact Rating: 3,5 stars

The book follows Rudy Burns and it starts out showing us how famous he is as a Broadway actor but then his luck suddenly runs out when he gets mugged and robbed one night after too much to drink. This all lead's to his handsome face becoming disfigured and him losing all of his fame and fortune because of it. His nephew tries to help him and comes up with this idea of Rudy becoming a boxer "The Count", so that he can finally have a job and still enjoy the thrill of acting as someone else.

The art was also good , especially how the artist allowed hues and shades of colours to mirror character mood and action.

A good read!

Rudy Burns is living it up in 1920s New York. He has good looks, a rich girlfriend and a thriving Broadway career. One night stumbling out of a speakeasy he gets attacked and loses everything. But it's what Rudy chooses to do next that makes the story. The results are quite theatrical...

This is a gorgeous comic which fits right into my alley :)

A pleasant surprise. Rudy is one of the top actors on Broadway, but a mugging one evening ruins his good looks and his career. The book goes through Rudy hitting rock bottom and then his friend's idea on how to reinvent himself as a boxer. I was surprised when I got to the end of this and it ended in the middle of the story. There was no indication up to that point that the theory was not self-contained.

'Theatrics' by Neil Gibson with art by Leonardo Gonzalez was a different type of story than I've read before from Neil Gibson, but I liked it. Just to let you know this volume does not complete the story.

The story takes place in 1920s New York. Rudy Burns is a handsome leading man on Broadway, until the night he gets too drunk, and then robbed and beaten. His good looks are gone and he finds that even though he is a talented actor, the life he has is over. He deals with all the usual feelings of despair, then an unusual opportunity presents itself for him to have a different kind of acting career.

I've preferred the darker things that this studio has put out, and perhaps this story will have more of that. Rudy is certainly a bit monstrous in appearance. The art is on par with other books by TPub, which is to say workable, but not amazing.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from TPub, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

This comic is about a successful Broadway actor who is involved in a mugging, resulting in the loss of his job, money and girlfriend. The plot itself was a bit boring and I found myself having to stop and return to it numerous times.

I did however, really like the artwork. It was brilliant how subtly it changed as the story progressed.

What would you do if you lost everything? I you were at the end of your rope and the bottom of your bottle. That is what happened to Broadway actor Rudy Burns. One night, everything was taken from him. His only option? To become someone else entirely. To REALLY put his acting skills to the test and become a professional boxer because,

“If you want to get rich, sell to the rich. If you want to get FILTHY rich, sell to the dirt poor!”

I absolutely love the old 20s looking graphic style. Set in the prohibition era it was a great story of love, loss and a man trying to get his life back after it is brutally taken away from him at the top of his game. I highly recommend this and can’t wait for further instalments to see Rudy’s (or the Count’s) life come together.. or come apart

"You need to act like a killer, so people will treat you like one."

It is New York, 1920, and Archibald "Archie" Brown aka Rudy Burns aka the Barbarian Count is a former leading Broadway actor who is attacked in an alley resulting in disfigurement, ending his career and his relationship with Stephanie.

Archie's friend Sammy has an idea.  "We need to give you a role that will entertain them. To make them want to see you.... you can play the villain."   A boxer, The Barbarian Count, mystery man.  Is Sammy taking advantage of Archie's fame?   Will Archie lose himself in his new persona?

I haven't read many graphic novels, but each one has been fantastic including this one.  The chapters are in acts and the graphics, color and dialog are crisp and engaging.  The story is unique and fast-paced, and ends with an air of mystery so this reader is anxious to continue the series.  Well done!

This is a story that takes place during the Jazz age of the 1920s. I like historical period based comics and the New York’s urban roaring twenties era mood to the story captured in the art and storyline was a treat. The story is about Rudy Burns a successful Broadway actor who had it all in terms of the world’s eye: Money, fame, relationship and a best friend who has been with him all the way with his success. But overnight Rudy would lose all of it when a robbery attack left his face disfigured.
The story did a good job of capturing Rudy at his highest point and also at his lowest. The writer Neil Gibson really thought through this. Readers will be drawn into the story and see the contrast and people’s reaction towards Rudy. I thought the story capture the shallowness of the entertainment industry and also the sad plight of those who come and go in terms of being celebrities. The book really captured well the psychological trauma that Rudy went through and how broken he has become.
The story itself is not finished with this book; the ending merely sets up things up for a sequel. I’m interested to see what the next installment to this original and creative story would take us.
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Theatrics was a fast-paced graphic novel. The setting in the roaring twenties was really well brought out in the story.. The story definitely took a surprising turn of events that I hadn't been anticipating. The character's history were interesting and I really liked the graphics.

This one was a brutal one. But I really enjoyed and liked the story a lot.
The characters were interesting. The artwork was stunning. I had a really good time reading this.

I didn't expect the end, tho. I didn't know there was going to be another part.

The artwork in this was amzing, I loved it. However, I felt as if the story was lacking something. There were times were I was a bit confused but overall, I am excited to see where this series goes.

Boy! O! Boy! I never knew there were lots of individual comic book writers and Artists apart from the Studio ones until I came across this and the other series of Comics recently. Well, I know Cyanide and Happiness and other comics are there but I'm not sure How they make money, this is a serious business I must say. 

Theatrics is a Graphic Novel about Rudy Burns a Broadway actor in 1920's who has everything one could ask for but a robbery goes wrong and the man is disfigured. When the Broadway is all about good looks what would a once-successful actor do to revive his life? The story is more of a rag to riches but we are left with a cliffhanger because only half the book is released and I'm already waiting to read the rest.

First of all, this Graphic novel is wonderful, the artwork is mind-blowing and it is a Studio quality. With regards to the story for a comic, it is completely new and different. Such a pleasant read it was and Neil Gibson must have a lot in his kitty to offer. Looking forward to reading the second Graphic novel which would give us a closure. The story was pretty easy for me to get in and start reading. Rudy seems to be a very mysterious man. We do not know What's on his mind and that keeps the readers hooked to the Graphic novel.  Let's wait and see What Neil Gibson and the team has to offer in the future publications.

Happy reading :)

Prohibition era New York, and Broadway star Rudy Burns has it all, good looks, a wealthy girlfriend, fame ...then one night as he drunkenly stumbles out of a speakeasy he is attacked and brutally beaten by a gang of thugs. Battered almost beyond recognition, he soon finds that the bright lights of Broadway no longer shine for him, without his good looks he can't find work and soon all the other trappings of his fame fall away. Destitute and down on his luck, he is crashing on the couch of an old friend when they formulate a new plan. Rudy will exchange one stage for another, leaving Broadway behind forever, and taking to the boxing ring instead, Using his acting skills to create a terrifying alter ego, it seems like his life may be on the up again.
This is a great blend of story and artwork, the skills of Leonardo Gonzales really bring the characters to life, while the writing of Neil Gibson means that as readers we care about what happens to them. Using a limited and largely muted colour palette sets the tone of the book, and clever little details like framing some panels with broadway style lights are among some of the more wonderful touches. There are also some incredibly strong, almost visceral action panels of Rudy fighting and these were probably one of my personal highlights . From the ending it seems like there is more of Rudy's story to come, and I look forward to seeing where this talented team take it next .

This comic had me pleasantly intrigued , the story kept me interested and flipping the pages all night long . The story takes place in the 1920s when Rudy Burns, a famous actor is beaten up after a night of drinking . He is hurt so badly that he looses his job, his girlfriend and well everything in his life he held dearly. But when he does something totally different and well a little bit dangerous . Things get really interesting
First off i fell in love with the graphics in this one . It has such a great noir feel to it , it is gritty and dark . The way i love my comic books . You will notice that the graphics change just a little when the story calls for it . The characters are gritty and determined to make things work in the jobs they have chosen . You see Rudy go from pretty boy actor to as tough as nails fighter in the ring . He uses the looks to his advantage even when he is beaten up and looking not so good . I really found Rudy to be very relatable he is a guy just trying to make it any way he can . Even if it is not legal.
I totally enjoyed reading this book and i loved the characters and the story line . I didn't realize that there would be a book two . I am hoping there would be a book two . So if you want a great graphic novel to read this Christmas this the book for you .

Aw, man! Seriously?

This was only the first ½? Just when I was hooked.

This was a great story - very inventive and something I didn’t expect. And the art was great noir.

I’ll be looking forward to the next one.

This is the promising first volume of what I know is going to be an amazing series. Set in the 1920s during prohibition, a heart throb actor is attacked outside a speakeasy and has to rearrange his life after having his face disfigured.

The illustrations are dark and atmospheric and complement the story perfectly. Even though the story hasn't got anything particularly original to offer at this stage, the characters and the art work pull you in and have you desperate for more. Even though this is only the introductory stage, the characters are well developed and have so much to offer the story as it progresses, there's a conspiracy in the making and you can't help but be suspicious of people's motives for the actions in this novel- I for one will be following the series and investing in the print copies as soon as the full collection is available.